The Cariboo Cougars played to their first draw of the 2012-2013 season Sunday with a 2-2 tie with the Greater Vancouver Canadians.

The hometown Canadians got out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period once again massively outshooting the Cats through the first 20 minutes as Nathan Warren played another strong game in net.

Brad Morrison evened things up seven minutes into the second on a breakaway scoring a hilight reel goal as the two teams headed into the third tied at one.

The Cats took their first lead of the game three minutes into the final frame as Lien Miller-Jeannotte scored his third of the season from Jordan Low and Thane Anderson who recorded his first point as a Cariboo Cougar.  The lead didn't last long, however, as the Canadians tied things back up less than four minutes later.

Canadians forward Glenn Gawdin was assessed a five minute cross-checking major and a game misconduct with 4:53 left on the clock for a hit on Braiden Epp who was luckily uninjured on the play.  Depsite being on the power play for the rest of the period, including a full two minute two man advantage, the Cats could not execute as they took three of four points and remain unbeaten in their last four games.

Warren stopped 39 saves for yet another brilliant performance in goal.

The Cougars record now sits at 22-7-1 and with the Okanagan Rockets falling 4-1 to the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds Sunday, the Cats and Rockets are tied for second place although Okanagan does hold two games in hand.

The Cougars are on the road again next weekend as they face the Kootenay Ice Saturday and Sunday in Nelson.

The Cariboo Cougars nursed a three goal lead to hang on for a 3-1 win over the Greater Vancouver Canadians Saturday at the BCMML Showcase in Langley.

The Cougars were badly outshot but Nathan Warren was stellar in net stopping 38 shots for his 15th win of the season.

Braiden Epp scored his 23rd of the season midway through the first from Liam Blackburn and Logan Styler.  Blackburn then scored one of his own six minutes into the middle frame to put the Cats up by two before Nick Headrick connected on the power play to go up 3-0.

The Canadians got on the board just seven seconds into the third and continued to dominate play for most of the final frame firing 19 shots towards Warren as the Cougars bent but didn't break, hanging on for their third straight win improving to 22-7 on the season.

Blackburn had a three point game and now sits tied with Seb Lloyd for the single season team record for assists with 37.

The Cougars go for their fourth straight win and weekend series sweep Sunday at 9:00am at the Langley Events Centre.

This weekend marks the BC Major Midget League's annual All Star Weekend Showcase with the Cariboo Cougars set to take centre stage in a big way.

Six Cougars have been named to the All Star game in forwards Liam Blackburn, Braiden Epp, and Ryan Forbes along with defencemen Stephen Penner and Nick Headrick.  Goaltender Nathan Warren makes his second consecutive All Star appearance.  Cougars head coach Trevor Sprague has been named an assistant coach for Team White working alongside Cats trainer Rick Brown who will also be on the bench.

The weekend is also a huge one for the Cougars who face the Greater Vancouver Canadians for the final series between the two this regular season.  The Canadians swept the Cougars in Prince George in December, theonly time this season the Cats have dropped both games of a homeweekend series as they look for revenge.

The Cougars are coming off a weekend sweep of the North IslandSilvertips and have won three of their last four taking a 21-7 record into this weekend, two points behind the second place Rockets.  The Canadians meanwhile have lost four in a row to start 2013 including a sweep last weekend by the Valley West Hawks and sit in fifth place with a record of 12-10-2.

Tonight's All Star game starts at 7:00pm at the Langley EventsCentre.  Faceoff with the Canadians Saturday is 11:45am with Sunday's rematch at 9:00am, both also at LEC.

Cariboo Cougar forward Braiden Epp has been named a runner-up for the BCMML's Player of the Month for December.

The 16-year old Prince George winger amassed an impressive 8 goals and 6 assists in just six league games last month.  In what has been a remarkable season so far, Epp sits second in team scoring with 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points with 34 PIM's.

Earlier this season Epp was listed by the WHL's Vancouver Giants.  He also had a very strong Mac's Midget Tournament in Calgary with 10 points in five games.

Counted on for even-strength, shorthanded, and power play shifts, Epp is a versatile, energetic, and tenacious part of the league's most potent offensive line.

Congratulations Braiden!